Greece’s fire investigation authorities made eleven arrests over the past two days, as blazes and fire-safety violations broke out from the Peloponnese to the northern Aegean. The cases range from a large rural fire in Argolida sparked by farm machinery to a string of illegal hot-work and angle-grinder incidents carried out under extreme fire-risk warnings in Attica, Serres and Lesvos.

Fichti, Argolida

Regarding the large rural and forest fire that broke out at 09:51 on Friday, 31 July 2026, in the Fichti area of the Municipality of Argos-Mycenae, preliminary investigation findings indicate that a 57-year-old Greek man and a 53-year-old Greek woman, while carrying out farm work with a tractor fitted with a mower/shredder attachment, caused sparks that started the fire. Both were arrested in summary proceedings by D.A.E.E. officers who had been deployed to the area to reinforce the investigation being carried out by the Argolida A.K.A.E.E.

Katakolo, Ilia

On Kalogria — the “Matzakoura” beach in the Katakolo local community, Municipality of Pyrgos, Ilia — close to an area of scrubland, a 34-year-old Greek woman set off a firework at around 19:52 on 31 July 2026, in breach of preventive fire-protection measures then in force due to a Category 4 fire-risk rating. Following investigation of the incident by the Ilia A.K.A.E.E., she was arrested in summary proceedings and issued an administrative fine of €3,000.

Dravsikos, Serres

In a rural area of the Dravsikos local community, Municipality of Nea Zichni, Serres, a foreign national caused a fire through negligence at 11:11 today, Saturday 1 August 2026, while burning rubbish — specifically the plastic outer casing of electrical cables, which he intended to sell — near an illegal open-air waste dumping site. He was arrested in summary proceedings by investigating officers of the Serres A.K.A.E.E. and issued an administrative fine of €1,125.

Kifisia, Attica

At 09:38 today, Saturday 1 August 2026, close to a forested area, two foreign nationals of Albanian citizenship, aged 59 and 49, were carrying out work using an angle grinder in breach of current legislation, while a Category 5 fire-risk rating — a state of alert and extreme fire danger — was in force in the area. Both men were arrested in summary proceedings by D.A.E.E. officers for breaching the required fire-safety measures and were issued an administrative fine of €3,750.

Spata-Artemida, Attica

At 09:53 today, Saturday 1 August 2026, in an area of the Municipality of Spata-Artemida, two men — a 52-year-old Greek national and a 41-year-old Romanian national — were carrying out work using an angle grinder in breach of current legislation, while a Category 5 fire-risk rating was in force in the area. Both men were arrested by investigating officers of the East Attica A.K.A.E.E. in summary proceedings, and an administrative fine of €3,750 was imposed.

Mystegna, Lesvos

At 16:08 today, Saturday 1 August 2026, on a plot of farmland in the Mystegna local community, Municipality of Mytilene, an 18-year-old Greek man was carrying out hot work using a metal-cutting grinder, with a Category 4 fire-risk rating in force, causing a fire through negligence. The fire burned around 50 square metres of dry grass on the plot. The 18-year-old was arrested in summary proceedings by investigating officers of the Lesvos A.K.A.E.E. and issued an administrative fine of €3,750.

Nea Erythraia, Attica

At 13:34 today, Saturday 1 August 2026, in the outdoor grounds of a detached house, a 74-year-old Greek man and a foreign national were carrying out hot metal-cutting work using an angle grinder and electric welding equipment. The work was being carried out while a Category 5 fire-risk rating — a state of alert — was in force in the area, at a site largely covered by forest vegetation. Both men were arrested in summary proceedings by investigating officers of the Athens A.K.A.E.E., and an administrative fine of €3,000 was imposed.

254 arrests since the start of the year

It is noted that, from 1 January to 1 August 2026, a total of 641 administrative fines have been imposed, amounting to €949,770.50, while 254 arrests have been made in summary proceedings — of which 226 (88.98%) relate to negligence and 28 (11.02%) to intent.

The Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (D.A.E.E.) and the Fire Service’s investigative units remain fully deployed in the field, investigating every potential cause of fire ignition, with the aim of establishing causes swiftly and assigning the criminal and administrative liability provided for by law wherever breaches are identified.

The Fire Service reiterates that protecting human life, the natural environment and citizens’ property is a collective responsibility. Strict compliance with fire-protection measures, and avoiding any action that could start a fire — particularly on days of very high and extreme risk — is of critical importance in preventing catastrophic consequences.